Response

Abstract

The academic field of postcolonial studies is founded upon the idea of comparison across nations that experienced colonialism. This cluster of essays raises the question: among the many possible pairings for comparison, what justifies the comparison of Ireland and South Africa as a field of study worthy of a special issue? Given the different colonial histories of the two nations, such a project could aim to show that they are not as unconnected as might at first appear, sharpen our understanding of both by showing their distinctive responses to similar conditions, or demonstrate the complexity of global networks of influence and exchange in the sphere of culture. These essays accomplish all these goals, considering, among other topics, the backing given by Irish nationalists to the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War, the strong support for the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, the significant role of South African figures in Irish political negotiations, and the links between Irish and South African literary works. As is pointed out by Parsons in his introduction, the asymmetry of the relationship is evident in most of these areas. Taken together, the contributions to this cluster demonstrate the varied ways in which a postcolonial lens can bring into focus connections forged across extended geographical distance and in spite of substantial historical differences.